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Mary E. Kates

Mary was born January 9, 1928, in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of John and Anna (Alewelt) VonDeBur. She married James Kates on October 7, 1950.

Mary graduated from Sacred Heart Academy. She retired after a long career with Illinois Bell. In addition to raising a large family, she was a talented seamstress and enjoyed many artistic endeavors including needlepoint, painting and ceramics. She also enjoyed gardening and feeding her birds. Mary and Jim were charter members of Christ the King Church. They lived in Fairfield Glade, TN for 10 years where they were members of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. She was a member of the Church of St. Jude in Rochester and resided at the Villas in Sherman until the time of her death.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Jim, her parents, her brothers, John and Francis, and two of her children, Jerry and Cheryl Kates.